WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) — Sales of new single-family homes collapsed in February, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday, as a combination of high unemployment, tumbling prices and a glut of cheaper alternatives brought activity to a near-standstill.

New-home sales fell 16.9% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 250,000 in February, though January’s figures were revised higher to 301,000 from 284,000. Compared to February 2010, sales collapsed by 28%.

Every region but the West saw record lows, and in the Northeast, sales dropped by 50% compared to year-earlier levels.

“The housing market has literally collapsed,” said Tony Sanders, a real estate finance professor at George Mason University. “We’re stuck, it’s not going to revive in the spring and may not in the summer.”

Economists polled by MarketWatch had expected a slight rise to a 290,000 rate in February. While inclement weather may have played a role in the particularly poor showing during the month — the particularly nasty dive in the Northeast and Midwest lends support to such a view — analysts said the figures were reflective of a basically dead market.

“There’s massive excess [supply] on the market, interest rates are not at record lows, tighter credit standards, unemployment is not decreasing fast enough and throw in oil and gas prices, that sends a big stop sign on consumers buying homes,” Sanders said.